TLDR: On the Feast Day of St. Peter, January 18th, I became a priest! My St. Dunstan family and other beloveds helped me celebrate this big event and pass the Peace!
For anyone who doesn’t know, last Thursday, January 18th, was a special feast day, The Feast of the Confession of St. Peter the Apostle. All the scriptures associated with this day are incredibly encouraging...especially to anyone who happens to be or becoming a priest. The observance of feast days provides a regular rhythm encouraged in the church calendar for the Christian. The oldest ecclesiastical or church feasts observed by early Christians begin because of their Jewish heritage. Easter and Pentecost, along with the weekly Lord’s Day–the Sabbath–and largely remained universal feast day or celebration day up to the third century. The feasts of Epiphany and Christmas were added in the fourth century, following the feasts of the Apostles and various martyrs. Even civil courts sessions were even banned on these feast days when the Holy Roman Empire came into effect.
It is no surprise that in Christ’s church, feasts were implemented to remember those who came before. It is good to honor our brothers and sisters. Instead, the Hebrew Scriptures are replaced by the Acts of the Apostles. The Old Testament is never read on an apostle’s feast day. Acts 4: 8-13. I love how verse 13 says, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus.” It’s the ordinary part that jumps out at me. Just ordinary people following Jesus! The psalter reading is amazing... who doesn’t love Psalm 23! The Epistle reading is 1 Peter 5:1-4! Oh, my goodness! How perfect for a future shepherd. Peter encourages pastors “to tend the flock of God.” Then the Gospel reading for this feast day is from Matthew 16. This is the part of scripture where Jesus asks his close friends, his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Hence the name of the feast day, the Confession of St. Peter who was the first to say out loud that Jesus is the Messiah!
AND one more thing that happened on January 18th on the Feast Day of the Confession of St. Peter... I became a priest. Yep! I was ordained by Bishop Jeff Fisher, right here in front of my St. Dunstan family and a whole slew of other wonderful folks who joined us, in person and online. Wow-weeee! My heart cannot stop smiling not dancing!
We are now in the lovely season of the church called Epiphany. Christmastide was only a short time ago. Remember? There were delightful children’s pageants held. An ordination is not all that far from that. There is pageantry. Bishop Fisher wore a cope, a lovely brocade, white cape with crimson and gold trim. He donned his gold miter while issuing me the words of the Examination found in our Book of Common Prayer p.525. Singing “Venti Sancte Spiritus, Come Holy Spirit” the Bishop laid his hands upon my head along with the other ordained priests who attended. The laying on hands by the bishop and priests recognizes the admission of the newly ordained priest to the priesthood.
Next, Bill, my beloved husband, my dear mother, and our sweet son “vested” me with a beautiful white stole and chasuble and the Bishop gave me a new Bible with the name “The Rev. Leesa James Lewis” imprinted in gold. The next part of the service, the passing of ‘The Peace’ reminded me of something.
Charlie Brown Christmas is a 1965 animated television special. It is the first TV special based on the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. Based on the original, It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown is another Christmastime special. It is also based on the comic strip Peanuts. It originally aired on CBS on November 27, 1992. This time the program is composed of various storylines from the comic strip. As the holiday season rolls around and all the Peanuts gang are getting ready for it. Charlie Brown struggles to raise money for his girlfriend or Sally and Peppermint Patty struggling to rehearse and memorize their one word lines for the Christmas pageant. As the kids participate in a Christmas play: Marcie plays The Virgin Mary, Franklin gets the role of Gabriel, Peppermint Patty reluctantly plays a sheep.
Last Thursday night, I activated my “inner Sally.” Sally, who has to say her one and only line "Hark!" in the play to summon a herald angel, inadvertently yells "Hockey stick!". During practice before the ordination, Bishop Fisher says, “Okay Leesa, after the vesting with Bill, your mom and your son, you will say the Peace.” No problem I thought. I heard the Peace said to my classmates for 5 days a week sometimes 3 times a day for the last 3 years. I can do that. Everybody knows the priest says, “The peace of the Lord be always with you.”
So now it’s that time, pass the Peace time, of the service. Bishop Fisher says, “And now we will pass the Peace. Leesa, why don’t you lead us.” I look into his big brown eyes and my mind goes absolutely blank! Hockey-stick! Bishop Fisher in all his care and kindness offers, “Let’s say it together!” Here is the Suffragan Bishop, the Shepherd of the eastern half of the Diocese of Texas tenderly tending the flock of God, the newest priest!
Caring for each other is what we do. I am so thankful to have a bishop that model caring for me and for us. Thank you, St. Dunstan’s for all the love and support. Not only at the ordination but since I have arrived in July. The ordination was with a doubt of one of the best nights of my entire life! Thank you! Thank you all who were there in person, thank you all who were there in spirit. Thank you to everyone and anyone who were involved in the planning and implementing of the ordination and reception. I feel overwhelming loved. When I think of my feelings from Thursday night, I know God loves each of us immeasurably more than that. God loves you beyond the beyond!
My prayer for you is you will feel this same love from our God and always know how much God l o v e s you! And....may the peace of the Lord be A L W A Y S with you!
Rev. Leesa+
